Rack spacing structure



P 1963 I M. E. GREEN 3,103,422

RACK SPACING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 10, 1961 United States Patent 3,103,422 RACK SPACING STRUCTURE Melvin E. Green, 9439 N. Linder Ava, Skokie, Ill. Filed Feb. 10, 1961, Ser. No. 88,387 12 Claims. (Ci. 34-238) the rack in either one of a plurality of positions of the trays during use of the rack.

Rack structures of the general type with which the in vention is concerned have been used in many industries wherein sheet materials are processed and the processed sheets are racked for drying. These racks are suitable for use with many diiferent kinds of sheet material, such as paper, cardboard, pressed fibre materials, plastics, fabrics and metals, among others. In the silk screening industry, the processed sheets :are loaded on the individual trays of the rack structure for drying in the atmosphere. Generally, the drying trays are mounted for individual pivotal movement on a frame support. Each tray can be disposed in a horizontal position supportedon the adjacent tray below and is capable of being pivoted upwardly to expose the tray immediately below it. Means are provided on the rack structure for holding the individual trays in their upwardly pivoted position. Considerable handling of the trays is required for loading and unloading purposes and desirably, the drying trays should be capable of being loaded both from automatic press or manual screen tables. Also, the processed sheets loaded on the trays must be permitted to dry in the atmosphere without coming into contact with other sheets in either position of the trays and during movement of the trays to either of said Positions.

Multiple tray racks heretofore available have been less than satisfactory in connection with providing proper support and spacing of the individual trays thereof and in permitting rapid and efficient handling of the trays. The means employed for spacing and to support the individual trays have been difficult to install and hence, correspondingly difiicult to replace when worn out. In some instances, previous spacing means h-ave not been readily accessible and have been so constructed and installed as to reduce the available drying area provided by the tray. In other instances, previous spacing means or the manner in which they are installed have interfered with rapid and convenient handling the trays since they present protrusions or corners which catch easily on the clothing of the worker required to work close to the rack structure during loading and unloading of the drying trays. Previous spacing means also have been more involved and intricate in their construction with attendant increase in cost of manufacture and installation thereof. Insofar as I am aware, no spacing means for use on such racks have been available which successfully solved all of these problems in a single embodiment thereof.

Accordingly, it is a major object of the invention to provide a multiple tray rack spacing structure of the character described which is constructed to enable substantially all of the disadvantages hereinabove enumerated to be successfully eliminated.

An important object of the invention is to provide a spacing structure of the character described which comprises a resilient bumper member adapted to be installed on a protruding support member formed on the drying tray, said bumper member being easily and conveniently installed and replaced and located exterior of the drying area afforded by the tray upon which installed.

, sis-3,422 Patented Sept. 10, 1963 Other important objects of the invention are to provide a resilient bumper member 'offthe character described which is economical and simple to make and install; which can be installed at a convenient location on the drying tray conducive to rapid and efiicientloadin-g and unloading thereof; and which is highly economical to make and use.

Another object ofthe invention is to provide, in combination, a drying tray and resilient bumper structure for the tray, said drying tray having a protruding support member formed from a cross-rnember of the tray which is simple and economical to make and said bumper construction capable of being easily installed on said support member and replaced when worn out.

An important object of the invention is concerned with the provision of drying trays having bumperstructures provided thereon which will -.enable m aintaining parallel.

spacing of the trays irrespective of whether the trays are plish this by simple and highly effective means.

The foregoing and other objects of the invention will become apparent as the description of the invention evolves. A preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail in the specification and-illustrated in the accompanying drawing It is contemplated that minor'variations in the arrangement, size, proportions and construction of the several parts may occur to the skilled artisan without departing from the scope or sacri-' ficing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawing: s a

FIG. 1 is a side e-levational viewv of a multiple tray rack structure having the rack spacing structure embodying the invention incorporated therein.

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary top plan view of a drying tray having a processed sheet supported thereon and showing said rack spacing structure installed thereon,

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the drying trays in their horizontal position and showing the rack spacing bumpers of the drying trays spacing and supporting the trays in said position thereof.

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary side elevational. Vl6W.'Of the drying trays in their upwardly pivoted position and show,

bump-er member poised for installation on said support member.

Referring now 20 designates generally; a multiple tray rack representative of the kind of drying rack for sheet material in connection with which the rack spacing structure embodying the invention is especially useful. The rack mil-shown in FIG. 1 has a rectangular frame 22 preferably formed of interconnected structural members which function as the base or pedestal of the structure, and wheels or casters 24 may be secured at corners of the frame 22 for desired mobility. Rising from the base 22 along one edge thereof is a vertical frame assembly 26 which likewise may be formed of interconnected. structural members, one of which being the vertical standard 28 seen in FIG. 1. The vertical frame assembly mayinclude two or more standards suitably braced and rigidified by cross members (not.

shown) in any well known manner. A plurality of drying trays 30 are hingedly connected to the vertical frame assembly for movement individually between a horizontal to the drawing, the reference character position and an upwardly pivoted or canted position.

As illustrated in FIG. 2, each drying tray 30 preferably is formed of metal wire suitably welded together to pro vide an open mesh support surface upon which a processed sheet 32 may be supported for drying.- The wire member 34 forms the marginal rim of each tray and conveniently may be a single relatively heavy wire bent to the desired substantially rectangular shape. The support surface for the sheet 3 2 is provided by a plurality of wire support members which are arranged crosswise of one another and welded at crossed points as Well as at their ends to the marginal rim 34. An adjustable spring and extension bar assembly 40 is secured between each of the vertical standards 28 and the opposite lateral edges of the tray, while the rear marginal rim of each tray is hingedly mounted on said standardsZS and perhaps other support means to swing on an axis that moves laterally relative to the line defined by the spring and bar assembly. Thus, there. is a toggle arrangement, so that the trays are each biased to move to either of the positions shown in FIG. 1 from some center position angularly therebetween; This toggle structure is known.

At the upper end of the vertical frame assembly 26 there are provided stop means 4-2 for limiting the angle of cant on the trays while in their upward position. Several of these stop means may be provided and they are preferably adjustable. Since the structure of the invention is such that all of the trays in the upwardly slanted position are parallel one to the other, as will be explained hereinafter, the adjustment of the stop means to control the angle of the uppermost tray will be sufficient to adjust the angles of all of the trays when canted.

As seen in FIG. 1, when hingedly connected to the vertical frame assembly 26, the trays 30 can be disposed in a horizontal position as illustrated in the lower portion of the figure for loading processed sheet material. Each tray can be pivoted upwardly after loading thereof to permi t the tray immediately beneath it to be loaded, the

toggle structure 40 connected to the pivoted tray operat-' ing to hold same in its upwardly canted position. Often loading and unloading of an individual tray in horizontal position is done in sequence; that is, a dried sheet is removed from the tray and a. freshly processed sheet is loaded on the tray. When loaded, the tray is pivoted manually upwardly out of the way of its nether trays as shown in the upper portion of FIG. 1.

It will be apparent that in order to prevent processed sheets on adjacent trays 30 from coming in contact one with the other, the. trays must be properly spaced and supported one from its neighbor both in the horizontal and upwardly pivoted positions thereof. In both of these positions the spacing is required to be such that the trays are parallel to one another. If the dimensions are chosen so that the maximum of trays are provided in a given apparatus, the vertical spacing between trays while in the horizontal position is very little. Certainly, when canted upward this spacing cannot be increased at the ends because there will be insufiicient space for the large number of trays usually mounted on such apparatus. The spacing cannot be decreased for obvious reasons, and hence the oblique disposition of the trays relative to their fixed pivotal axes if made parallel will result in spacing between trays in their upwardly canted position which is somewhat less than the spacing between trays when horizontal.

For these purposes there is provided rack spacing structure which maintains satisfactory parallel spacing and support of the trays 30 in either of said positions. The rack spacing structure embodying the invention comprises a resilient bumper member 45 preferably formed of a rubber or rubber-like material, although other materials such as chemically treated or untreated wood or plastic may be used. Each of the trays 30 has a pair of such bumper members 45 mounted thereto one adjacent each front corner 46 thereof.

Each bumper 4-5 has a substantially rectangular crosssectional configuration with the top front and bottom rear diagonally opposite corners 47 rounded. The top face 45 and the bottom face 50 of the bumper are planar and substantially parallel one with the other and are substantially identical in length. The opposite lateral faces 52 also are planar and substantially parallel. The member 45 has a transverse slot 54 therethrough opening to the lateral faces 52. The longitudinal axis of slot 54 preferably is located substantially to coincide with the midpoint between end faces 55 of the bumper member and is substantially parallel with said end faces.

The bumper 45 is adapted to be installed along each side edge and spaced slightly inwardly of the front corners 46 of the'tray. For purposes of mounting the bumper members, each'tray is provided with a pair of extensions or protrusions one along each side edge thereof and adjacent a front corner 46 of the tray. Said extensions are formed by providing elongated reverse bent wire loops 56 on the opposite ends of one of the wire support members designated 36' for the purpose of distinguishing the same from its mates.

As seen in FIG. 5, the wire support member 36 may be longer than the other members so as to protrude outwardly of the marginal rim 34 with the protruding portion reverse bent into an elongated loop 56. The loop 56 is held rigidly in place by means of the Welds 58. The size and configuration of the loop 56 is selected so as to permit the loop to be inserted into the transverse slot 54 of a bumper 45 with the bumper frictionally held tightly on the loop. It may be noted that the axial length of the loop 56 is approximately equal to the length of the slot 48 so that the bumper 45 is supported by the loop 1 for substantially the entire thickness of the bumper. The

rounded bight of the loop also facilitates insertion thereof into the slot 54. The width of the loop prevents twisting of the member 45 thereon.

Thus, each tray 30 is provided with a bumper member 45 on opposite sides thereof and adjacent the front corners thereof. The bumpers are located entirely outside the mesh support surfaces of the trays and hence do not interfere with or reduce the support area available for drying the sheet members or interfere with a ventilation through the mesh support surfaces.

Referring to FIG. 3, the trays 3i partially illustrated, are arranged in horizontal position and are supported one spaced abovethe other by means of the bumpers 45. The trays 30 are substantially parallel arranged with the bottom planar surface 50 of the upper bumper supported on the upper planar surface 48 of bumper immediately below it. This is simply achieved by choosing the vertical dimension between surfaces 48 and 50 indicated at A to equal the vertical spacing B between adjacent trays measured at their axes of rotation. This assures parallel spacing of the trays in horizontal position. Note that said surfaces 48 and 50 are engaged substantially along their entire lengths and that there are no sharp corners or protrusions on the bumper members.

Referring to FIG. 4, the trays 3t partially illustrated, are in'their upwardly pivoted position. Note that the upper one of an adjacent pair of bumpers 45 has a rounded corner 47 thereof supported on the rounded corner 47 of the bumper immediately below it. In each instance, no part of the rubber bumper 45 protrudes beyond the front endge of the marginal rim 34. The effective spacing between opposite top and bottom faces of bumper members 45, measured perpendicular to the trays mounting the same is now defined by the dimension C which has been substantially reduced due to the rounding of the corners 47. This dimension is preferably the same as the dimension D between adjacent trays arranged at the particular angle of cant. In determining the amount of rounding required, obviously a contour can be chosen for the bumper corners 47 which will cooperate with its neighboring rounded corner so that the total decrease in effective dimension is the decrease in dimension for the adjacent trays at all angles of cant. In view of the proportions involved and the small changes, it is practical to choose the decrease in diagonal dimension at each corner which gives the proper parallel relationship between trays when arranged at the most commonly used angle of cant. Then, using this dimension, the form of rounding may be a simple radius, which serves practically all practical purposes. The rounding of corners 47 provides smooth transition of the trays from horizontal to upwardly canted positions and vice versa without interference between the bumpers and the trays. This might be caused due to the relatively parallel sliding of the trays one relative to the other as they are pivoted. This occurs especially when a large number of trays are pivotally swung all at the same time in one movement.

It will be obvious that the required reduction in the effective top to bottom dimension of each bumper need not be distributed between engaging corners, but may be provided fully on one corner. Thus, for example, instead of being rounded on both the front top corner and the bottom rear corner, one or the other may have twice the reduction in dimensions to provide that which is required to assure parallel disposition. The engaged corner of the other bumper may not ride as smoothly upon the rounded surface than in the case of the bumpers illustrated, but the net results will be the same. In both cases the structure of the bumpers is quite simple and adapted for easy and economical manufacture and installation.

It is believed that the invention has been described in sufficient detail to enable the skilled artisan to understand and practice the same. It will be appreciated that replacement of a bumper member 45 can be accomplished rapidly and conveniently merely by pulling the worn member olf its support loop 56 and sliding a fresh bumper thereon. No special fastening means or specially shaped slot formations in the bumper 45 are required.

The invention has been pointed out in the claims hereto appended using language intended to be liberally construed commensurate with the achievement contributed thereby.

What is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. Rack spacing means for use on each drying tray of a multiple tray rack structure having a plurality of vertically stacked trays hingedly connected thereon for individual movement between a first position in which the trays are horizontally disposed and a second position in which the trays are upwardly pivoted, and said trays are substantially parallel in both of said positions and each tray has a support member for said means; said spacing means comprising, a plurality of like bumper members each of generally rectangular cross-section configuration having a top planar face, a bottom planar face substantially parallel with said top face and a pair of opposite lateral faces, and a passageway opening to at least one of said lateral faces adapted to frictionally engage said support member therein for supporting the said bumper member entirely exterior of the support surface of the tray, each bumper member having diagonally opposite rounded corners, said members adapted to be mounted on said trays in mutual alignment whereby adjacent pairs of said members so mounted are in contact one with the other to maintain said parallel relationship between trays in both of said positions.

2. Rack spacing means for use on each drying tray of a multiple tray rack structure having a plurality of vertically stacked trays hingedly connected thereon for individual movement between a first position in which the trays are horizontally disposed and a second position in which the trays are upwardly pivoted, and said trays are substantially parallel in both of said positions and each tray has a support member for said means; said spacing means comprising, a plurality of like bumper members each of generally rectangular cross-section configuration having a top planar face, a bottom planar face substantially parallel with said top face and a pair of opposite lateral faces, and a passageway opening to at least one of said lateral faces adapted to frictionally engage said support member therein for supporting the said bumper member entirely exterior of the support surface of the tray, said members adapted to be mounted on said trays in mutual aligmnent whereby adjacent pairs of said members so mounted are in contact one with the other to maintain said parallel relationship between trays in both of said positions, said top and bottom faces being substantially identical in length, said bumper member having diagonally opposed corners thereof reduced in dimension.

3. Rack spacing means for use on each drying tray of a multiple tray rack structure having a plurality of vertically stacked trays hingedly connected thereon for individual movement between a first position in which the trays are horizontally disposed and a second position in which the trays are upwardly pivoted, and said trays are substantially parallel in both of said positions and each tray has a support member for said means; said spacing means comprising, a plurality of like bumper members each of generally rectangular cross-section configuration having a top planar face, a bottom planar face substantially parallel with said top face and a pair of opposite lateral faces, and a passageway opening to at least one of said lateral faces adapted to frictionally engage said support member therein for supporting the said bumper member entirely exterior of the support surface of the tray, said members adapted to be mounted on said trays in mutual alignment whereby adjacent pairs of said members so mounted are in contact one with the other to maintain said parallel relationship between trays in both of said positions, said top and bottom faces each terminating in a rounded corner at one end thereof with said corners being diagonally opposed one relative to the other.

=4. Rack spacing means for use on each drying tray of a multiple tray rack structure comprising, a plurality of like resilient bumper members each having substantially parallel top and bottom planar faces and opposite lateral faces substantially parallel one with the other, a transverse slot opening to each of said lateral faces for frictionally supporting the bumper member on the tray, said top and bottom planar faces being of substantial similar length, the diagonally opposite top fnont and bottom rear corners of said member being rounded.

5. In combination, a drying tray for use in a multiple tray drying rack structure, said tray having a substantially rectangular mesh support surface for supporting a processed sheet thereon and a marginal wire rim around the front edge and opposite side edges of said support surface,

said tray having a protruding support member extending outwardly of each of said side edges between the juncture of said side edge with said front edge and the rear edge of said suppont surface, and a resilient bumper member frictionally engaged on each of said support members and arranged entirely exterior of said support surface for supporting and spacing a plurality of like drying trays on said rack structure.

6. In combination, a drying tray for use in a multiple tray drying rack structure, said tray having a substantially rectangular mesh support surface for supporting a processed sheet thereon and a marginal wire rim around the front edge and opposite edges of said support surface, said tray having a protruding support member extending outwardly of each of said side edges between the juncture of said side edge with said front edge and the rear edge of said support surface, and a resilient bumper member frictionally engaged on each of said support members and arranged entirely exterior [of said support surface for supporting and spacing a plurality of like drying trays on said rack structure, said bumper members each having a transversely extending slot opening to a surface thereof and having said support member tightly engaged therein for holding the bumper member on the support member.

7. In combination, a drying tray for use in a multiple tray drying rack structure, said tray having a substantially rectangular mesh support surface for supporting a processed sheet thereon and a marginal wire rim around the front edge and opposite side edges of said support surface, said tray having a protruding support member extending outwardly of each of said side edges between the juncture of said side edge with said front edge and the rear edge of the support surface, and a resilient bumper member frictionally engaged on each of said support members and arranged entirely exterior of said support surface for supporting and spacing a plurality of like drying trays on said rack structure, said support member comprising an elongated Wire loop and said bumper having a transverse slot therein matingly engaged with said wire loop.

8. In combination, a drying tray for use in a multiple tray drying rack structure, said ltray having a substantially rectangular wire mesh support surface for supporting a processed sheet thereon and a marginal wire rim around the front edge and opposite side edges of said support surface, said tray having a protruding support member extending outwardly of each :of said side edges between the juncture of said side edge with said front edge and the rear edge of the support surface, and a resilient bumper member frictionally engaged on each of said support members and arranged entirely exterior of said support surface for supporting and spacing a plurality of like drying trays on said rack structure, said support member comprising an elongated looped extension of said mesh support surface and said bumper having a transversely extending slot therein for receiving the support member therein.

9. In combination, a drying tray for use in a multiple tray drying rack structure, said tray having a substantially rectangular mesh support surface for supporting a processed sheet thereon and a marginal Wire rim around the front edge and opposite side edges of said support surf-ace, sa-id tray having a protruding support member extending outwardly of each of said side edges between the juncture of said side edge with said front edge and the rear edge of said support surface, and a resilient bumper member frictionally engaged on each of said support members and arranged entirely exterior of said support surface for supporting and spacing a plurality of like drying trays on said rack structure, said bumper members each having a transversely extending slot opening to a surface thereof and having said support member tightly engaged therein for holding the bumper member on the support member, each bumper having at least one rounded corner at one of its top front and bottom rear ends.

10. In combination, a plurality of drying trays for hinged connection in a multiple tray rack structure in which the trays are pivoted individually and in consort between a first position in which the trays are horizontally disposed and second position in which they are upwardly pivoted; and rack spacing means for supporting and spacing the trays in substantially parallel relationship in either one of said positions comprising, a bumper member of substantally rectangular cross-section having top and bottom fiat substantially parallel surfaces and parallel opposite lateral faces, each tray having a laterally extending support member protruding outwardly of each side edge thereof and said bumper having a transverse slot for fri-ctionally engaging a support member therein to hold the bumper member on the tray, at least one corner of the bumper being reduced in dimension to provide for said parallel disposition of the trays in their upwardly pivoted position.

11. The combination as described in claim 10 in which diagonally opposite corners of the bumper member are so reduced in dimension.

12. The combination as described in claim 11 in which the top front and bottom rear corners of the bumper are rounded.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 17,489 Clark June 9, 1857 1,228,790 Lambert June 5, 1917 1,777,402 Derin'g Oct. 7, @1930 2,950,541 Dement Aug. 30, 1960 

1. RACK SPACING MEANS FOR USE ON EACH DRYING TRAY OF A MULTIPLE TRAY RACK STRUCTURE HAVING A PLURALITY OF VERTICALLY STACKED TRAYS HINGEDLY CONNECTED THEREON FOR INDIVIDUAL MOVEMENT BETWEEN A FIRST POSITION IN WHICH THE TRAYS ARE HORIZONTALLY DISPOSED AND A SECOND POSITION IN WHICH THE TRAYS ARE UPWARDLY PIVOTED, AND SAID TRAYS ARE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL IN BOTH OF SAID POSITIONS AND EACH TRAY HAS A SUPPORT MEMBER FOR SAID MEANS; SAID SPACING MEANS COMPRISING, A PLURALITY OF LIKE BUMPER MEMBERS EACH OF GENERALLY RECTANGULAR CROSS-SECTION CONFIGURATION HAVING A TOP PLANAR FACE, A BOTTOM PLANAR FACE SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL WITH SAID TOP FACE AND A PAIR OF OPPOSITE LATERAL FACES, AND A PASSAGEWAY OPENING TO AT LEAST ONE OF SAID LATERAL FACES ADAPTED TO FRICTIONALLY ENGAGE SAID SUPPORT MEMBER THEREIN FOR SUPPORTING THE SAID BUMPER MEMBER ENTIRELY EXTERIOR OF THE SUPPORT SURFACE OF THE TRAY, EACH BUMPER MEMBER HAVING DIAGONALLY OPPOSITE ROUNDED CORNERS, SAID MEMBERS ADAPTED TO BE MOUNTED ON SAID TRAYS IN MUTUAL ALIGNMENT WHEREBY ADJACENT PAIR OF SAID MEMBERS SO MOUNTED ARE IN CONTACT ONE WITH THE OTHER TO MAINTAIN SAID PARALLEL RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN TRAYS IN BOTH OF SAID POSITIONS. 